CANNES — Dick Wolf will be honored with the Founders Award at the Intl. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences I-Emmy gala in New York this November.
Nod, one of the most respected in the TV biz, goes to the long-time producer in recognition for being the architect behind the “Law and Order” franchise, whose flagship NBC show is closing in on CBS’ “Gunsmoke” record as the longest-running drama in U.S. history.

“It has transcended cultural borders for the last 25 years,” said I-Academy prexy and chief exec Bruce L. Paisner. “It has been distributed in almost all the recognized 193 countries in the world. We wanted to honor Dick before it overtook “Gunsmoke.”

Wolf is also being recognized for his innovative approach to global licensing of the “Law and Order” franchise. Earlier this year, he announced deals to make locally produced versions of existing “Law and Order” scripts in the U.K., France and Russia.

“The world of television is becoming increasingly more global and I am grateful that the International Academy is recognizing the impact of the ‘Law and Order’ brand around the world,” said Wolf.

Wolf will accept the trophy Nov. 24 at the 20th Intl. Emmy awards ceremony, which also honors foreign TV programming in various categories.

Previous recipients of the Founders Award have been Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Al Gore.

Paisner also announced that Chinese TV maven Liu Changle will receive the Academy’s Directorate Award. As the founding chairman and chief exec of Phoenix Satellite TV, Changle pioneered offshore broadcasting into China. Launched in Hong Kong in 1996, Phoenix has since grown from a single channel into an integrated multi-media group with five channels broadcasting in Mandarin and reaching 150 countries around the world.

Founded in 1969, the I-Academy is the largest organization of broadcasters in the world, with members from 70 countries and from 400 media companies.